Lamellar liquid crystal compounds comprising triethanolammonium oleate have been prepared directly from triethanolamine and oleic acid as disclosed by Friberg et al, The Journal of Physical Chemistry, 1984, 88 1045-6. Friberg et al disclose that the basis for the lyotropic mesomorphism is the fact that part of the triethanolammonium oleate has changed to triethanolamine and oleic acid which serve as solvents in the liquid crystalline structure. The influence of solvents on the non-aqueous lyotropic liquid crystalline phase formed by triethanolammonium oleate is described by Friberg et al, The Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Vol. 74, No. 7, July 1985. Friberg et al disclose that the region of stability of the lamellar liquid crystalline phase on addition of soluble glycols or oils was found to depend on the molar ratio of triethanolamine to oleic acid. A series of ethylene glycol oligomers which were solubilized in the polar part of the structure showed maximum solubilization at an acid to amine mole ratio of 1.6 while the organic oils on the other hand which are solubilized into the hydrophobic part of the structure exhibited maximum solubilization at an acid to amine mole ratio of 0.8.
Additional liquid crystal compositions comprising oleic acid and triethanolamine, oleic acid, triethanolamine and glycerol, and alkyl sulfonic acid and triethanolamine are further described by Lockwood et al, ASLE Transactions, Vol. 30, 4, 539-548 (1987). Lockwood et al acknowledge that although lyotropic liquid crystals with water as the solvent have been known for a long time and studied extensively, the corresponding systems in which water is replaced with a non-aqueous solvent have been little known. Lockwood et al also disclose the use of lamellar liquid crystals as lubricants. Liquid crystalline structures in which water has been replaced with a polar organic solvent to achieve the mesomorphic state are also discussed by Friberg et al, Journal of Dispersion Science and Technology, 8 (4), 407-422 (1987), wherein lamellar liquid crystal compositions of sodium dodecyl sulfate, decanol and glycerol, among others, are disclosed. Friberg et al disclose that for many systems the region of stability of liquid crystal compositions is severely limited when a non-aqueous solvent is employed.